Under The Flame
by TheRealRenee
Summary: // Chapter 24 now up \\ Matt is still convinced Adam is out to hurt Amy, so he plots to split them up. Sequel to 'Fire & Ice/The Fine Line Between Love & Hate. Lita/Edge, Torrie/Jeff, Trish/Christian, Matt
1. Default Chapter

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The young man wore a smile on his face, his heart catching at the scene he beheld on the TV monitor. He was actually getting choked up. 

Jeff Hardy swallowed back the lump of happiness he felt forming in his throat before turning toward his brother. 

"See, Matt? He really *does* love her..." His green eyes traveled back to the television screen, where his best friend, Amy Dumas, was now shedding tears of joy. Her boyfriend - another good friend of his - Adam Copeland - had just announced to the redhead and the world, that he loved her. The pair had been together just over a year now, though they'd started out as just occasional and then frequent sex partners. But after a short while Amy had come to Jeff and confessed that she had fallen in love with Adam. For a long time, the young woman had had doubts that the blond man reciprocated her feelings. On top of that, she had even broken up with him for a few weeks after learning Adam had pretended to have been involved with their friend Trish Stratus at the start of their relationship. Jeff didn't quite know exactly what had happened, but his two friends had gotten back together - evidently only last night. 

And Jeff couldn't be happier for them. He knew Adam and Amy were truly in love... 

"I don't like this..." 

The sound of his brother's voice cut into the young man's thoughts and happy mood. The look on Matt's face was a displeased, dark one. 

Jeff couldn't believe his sibling could still feel so negatively about Adam after his heartfelt admission and display in the center of the wrestling ring. He was seriously beginning to wonder if Matt had a heart made of stone. 

As the rainbow-haired man eyed his dark-haired brother expectantly, Matt spoke again. 

"I don't trust him... And I don't buy this little display for a minute." 

Jeff stared at him in utter amazement. Sometimes, Matt could really be impossible. He was stubborn, hard-headed and had some pretty warped ideas. And once he made up his mind about something, it was damn near impossible to get him to change it. *This* was a definitely testimonial to that fact. 

"C'mon, Matt - it's so obvious it's not an act... Adam *loves* her," he protested. 

The darker Hardy stared at his younger brother as though he were insane - or just plain naive. After a beat, he shook his head. 

"You're just damn gullible, Jeff..." 

"Well, *I* don't think so," the younger man said firmly. "And I know you're wrong about Adam. You *know* he's a good guy. I mean... good grief, Matt! Have you forgotten he's our *friend*?" Jeff shook his head in frustration as he recalled that he'd been asking Matt that very question multiple times in the not-so-distant past. 

For once, the dark-haired man had no response. However, the expression on his face as he turned back to eye the monitor spoke volumes. And there was something in Matt's brown eyes that Jeff did not like... 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Amy Dumas looked adoringly up at Adam Copeland as they made their way to gorilla position. She loved what she saw in his handsome face and green eyes - kindness, sweetness, compassion, and, most and best of all, love... Love for *her*. 

To think she'd doubted his feeling... While it was true that he'd had trouble saying the actual words throughout the majority of their relationship, she now knew he loved her. And, like an insecure teenage boy, he'd played a silly game to see if she possibly had feelings for him in pretending something had been going on between himself and Trish. Amy felt a little silly about all that now - because if Adam and Trish had really had a thing going on, she surely would have found out about it way back. Likewise, of *course* Adam had loved her - if he *hadn't*, he would have been fucking who knows how many other women? And she knew he'd only been sleeping with her and no one else. For God's sake, the only time they'd spent apart was when they were trying to throw others off their trail... Others like Matt Hardy. 

When she reflected over the course of their relationship, she could hardly believe it herself. They'd actually started out hating each other's guts... Well, maybe that was a bit harsh, but they certainly hadn't *liked* each other. But then, that night in early November of 2000 - the night he and Jay Reso - as Edge and Christian - had caused her to lose the WWF Women's title - had changed their lives drastically. That had been the night when they'd first had sex. From then, they'd sort of become friends with benefits, only they hadn't exactly been *friends*. 

She looked down to her left wrist, around which Adam's right hand was curled. He wasn't holding her hand because it, along with her right, was bandaged. Bandaged... That, of course, was partly as a result of her suicide attempt from the previous night. She shuddered as she thought about it... She could have been dead right now instead of walking through this arena hallway beside this beautiful blond Canadian man with whom she was so madly in love - who was so madly in love with *her*... 

They suddenly reached Adam's locker room, and stopped in front of the door as he gently turned her to face him. There was a soft smile playing at the tall blond man's lips. 

"No more hiding or sneaking around... I love you, Ames," he said, green eyes sparkling as he gazed down into her hazel. 

She felt a tugging on her heartstrings as he placed one of his hands against her cheek. 

"I love you, too, Adam..." 

A second later, when they were locked in a passionate kiss, they failed to realize that someone was watching them with the utmost displeasure...   
  
  
  


Part 2 

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	2. Chapter 2

Matt watched in irritation and disgust, a scowl coming to his face, as Adam and Amy departed into the blond man's locker room. 

He'd heard what the Canadian had said, and he didn't buy half of it while he knew the other half was for damn sure true. Right, he loved Amy... Who in hell did Adam Copeland think he was fooling? Matt knew, in his heart of hearts, that saying 'I love you' to the redhead was just a plot, a way to keep her by his side - but most importantly, in his bed. And he didn't doubt that the other thing the blond man had said - about the two of them no longer having to sneak around - was said in honesty. That way, they wouldn't have to hide their little displays, no matter how sickening they were. 

Slowly, the dark-haired man crept up to the closed door of the locker room, blinking furiously as he turned his ear to it. There were no telltale sounds to indicate what Amy and Adam were doing - what he knew they'd done countless times in locker room in arenas throughout the country, not to mention parts of Canada and England, when they'd had the Insurrexion and Rebellion events. Nonetheless, he knew it was bound to happen again, and he found that disgusting. Didn't the redhead possess any self-respect? 

All that stuff aside, Matt had noticed something strange - something that in fact disturbed him. Both of Amy's hands were bandaged. He'd seen as much when she had gone out to the ring to join the man who claimed himslef as her 'boyfriend.' He didn't know a damn thing about the 'why' behind those bandages, but he knew without a shadow of a doubt that somehow, Adam had everything to do with them. 

'Damn that Copeland!' he thought. If he'd done anything to hurt Amy, to cause whatever wounds had required bandages be applied to her hands... Well, he didnt' know what he might do. But he was sure it would come to him. 

The dark-haired man was just about to turn away and leave when, from the corner of his eye, he became aware of a movement just to his left. As he slowly turned, suspicious that someone had been spying on him, he saw Torrie Wilson. The platinum blonde was eyeing him with an almost questioning look in her pale blue eyes, as though curious as to what he was up to. In fact, her eyes widened slightly when he'd turned and looked at her. 

She bit her lip, a look of uncertainty now dominating her face, and Matt was afraid she was about to bolt when he approached her. He hoped that wasn't the case - especially now that he's just gotten a brainstorm the moment he'd spotted her. 

"Hey, Torrie..." 

"H-hey..." The woman offered him a nervous smile. It made him wonder if she was capable of reading minds or something. "Well..." she stammered, pushing a lock of blonde hair behind one ear. "I'll see you later." Torrie started to head off, but the elder Hardy brother reached out for her arm. 

"Torrie, wait..." 

The tall diva caught her breath, then turned around slowly to face him once again. She hated the way her heart was pounding at about... oh, six-million beats per second under Matt Hardy's intense scrutiny. 

"Listen, could I talk to you in private?" the young man asked, his brown eyes fixed to her blue. 

Torrie's eyes widened again, and she didn't fail to notice the effect his hand still gripping her bare arm seemed to have on her. But she wondered about what he could possibly want to talk privately with her about... Unless... 

"Listen, Jeff and I have a match coming up in about twenty or so minutes. Would it be all right if I came to speak to you in your hotel room later tonight?" 

The platinum blonde blinked, thinking she must have dreamed up what Matt had just said. Then, nodding, she thankfully found her voice again. 

"Okay..." 

Part 3 

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	3. Chapter 3

Torrie gaped at Matt in shock, her blue eyes slightly widened as she listened to him issue the proposal to her. 

And so... in a nutshell, that's what I'd like you to do," the dark-haired man concluded. 

The blonde diva stared at him, blinking in confusion. A whirlwind of emotions ran through her, including hurt, disappointment and uncertainty. What Matt had just said had been the last thing she'd expected and certainly not what she wanted to hear, either. It also made her question his character. It was shady and underhanded, and she wondered why on earth he'd asked her... Why her, of all people? 

"But I don't understand," Torrie finally said, shaking her head. "From what I saw on the monitor, those two seem absolutely crazy about each other." In truth, the blonde had been beyond surprised when she'd witnessed the scene - and previous to that, when Adam Copeland had been in the ring and called Amy out. As the blond man had stated, only a handful of people had known of his relationship with the redhead. She, of course, had not been among that meager group. But once Amy had joined him in the ring, it had been more than obvious to Torrie that the two truly loved each other. 

Matt snorted at her protestations. 

"Well, yeah, I don't doubt she loves him... but him - that character is just another story," he said firmly. "Torrie, the entire time they've been together - over a year, mind you - they've been sneaking around," the dark-haired man told her. "Even going so far as to have sex in the locker rooms, from what I gather. I saw her comin' out of his locker room once myself - much to my shock!" 

"So?" Torrie shook her head, arms out and shrugged. "That's their business... They didn't hurt anyone." 

The elder Hardy brother smacked a hand against his forehead. 

"He is hurting her! Don't you see? He's only using her, and I intend to put a stop to it." 

The diva arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow, her mouth running dry at the evident obsession the man felt. In truth, it was a little bit scary. After the display in the ring, she doubted what he was telling her to be the case. 

"Look... it's not only that. You noticed Amy's hands, right?" 

"How could I not? I did, but I didn't feel comfortable about asking her about those bandages." 

"Uh huh..." Matt said with impatience. "And why was that?" 

"Because..." Torrie began, her head nearly spinning at this conversation. It had been most unexpected when he'd arrived at her hotel room. "... Amy and I are not exactly best friends. I didn't think it was my place." 

But obviously, there's some private story behind them, right?" 

The tall blonde blinked as she shrugged. 

"I would guess so." She wondered what on earth Matt was thinking, what he was speculating, about the bandages on the redhead's hands. And he seemed more than a little obsessive. 

"Anyway... I need your answer," the dark-haired man said. "What'll it be?" 

Torrie gazed deeply into his brown eyes, every fiber of her being screaming at her to say no. What he wanted of her was so immoral, so underhanded. It was sneaky and just plain rotten. However, the diva knew that, with a sinking feeling in her belly, that she was going to do it. 

Finally, she nodded resignedly. 

"All right." She lowered her blue eyes to the floor, feeling horrible as she thought of what she would be doing. "All right, I'll do it..." 

"Good girl," Matt said with a sly half-smile. "That's exactly what I was hoping to hear." 

Part 4 

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	4. Chapter 4

As they made their way back to their hotel room after a moonlight stroll out in the neighborhood, Amy bit her lip. A feeling of slight shyness came over her as she gazed at Adam, noting for the millionth time in her life how handsome and sexy a man he was. She was feeling, however, for the first time since her suicide attempt, stirrings of sexual desire. 

The redhead tried to repress her impulses as she strode beside the blond man. She wished her hands weren't so cut up, as she wanted to put them on him, make a grab for his own hand. Despite herself and what she'd tried to do so recently, she wondered why he hadn't made love to her yet. The truth was, she'd definitely enjoyed their little trysts in the locker rooms when they'd been hiding their true relationship to everyone. 

As they entered the hotel and made their way up the stairs, Adam spoke about his current storyline with William Regal, which was still going strong. He'd just dropped the Intercontinental Championship to the Englishman, and their feud would be continuing for awhile. 

She listened, but only half-heartedly, as she could not get the urge to jump him the moment they entered the hotel room out of her mind. Okay, so she was horny... And anyway, they hadn't had sex in weeks. But as much as she was now craving the physical aspect of it, she now knew that, to the Canadian, it was also an act of love - because he truly loved her. 

They reached their room, the redhead holding her breath as her boyfriend slipped the keycard through its slot, allowing them entrance. God, she ached to touch him... 

The moment they were inside the room, they both started to speak at once. 

"Go on, baby..." Adam's green eyes gazed over her lovely face, his heart softening as he lowered them to quickly take in the bandaged hands. He truly felt horrible that she'd done such a thing to herself. Also, it would take several weeks before she would be able to return to in- and out-of-ring action. After a quick visit to Stephanie McMahon earlier in the night, the brunette had insisted Amy take a few weeks off from the physicalities of their profession. 

"I just..." The redhead bit her lip, nervousness consuming her for the first time with him in ages. She lowered her head, then raised it to meet his gaze, and this time, she didn't bother trying to conceal all the desire she felt for him. "... Adam, I..." 

The blond man arched a brow, then frowned, concern sweeping through him. What was she trying to tell him? She appeared to be so apprehensive about whatever it was, and quite frankly, it was starting to worry him. 

"Ames, what's the matter?" he questioned, stepping closer to her and gently grasping her by the shoulders. "Baby, talk to me..." 

She blinked as she gazed deeply into his eyes, wishing now more than ever that her hands weren't bandaged so she could just grab him - pull him taut against her body and pull his head down to hers. 

"I want you..." she said in a near whisper. Her gaze remained on his handsome face, and again, she bit her lip, the slight shyness she'd felt trickling from her in an instant. She tilted her head to one side, gazing up at him almost coquettishly, through her eyelashes. 

Without a word, Adam closed those couple of inches of distance between them, his hands instantly going up to cup her head, and he dipped his head to hers, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. God, he'd wanted her as well, for weeks now. How he'd been able to go on without approaching her and ravaging her before, he'd never know. She was kissing him back hungrily, her tongue exploring just about every square inch of his mouth, and she pressed her sweet, curvaceous body up against him. 

A groan escaped him as he started to grind his pelvis up against the diva, his hands tangling into her long red hair. He let her feel just how excited she made him, and he longed for her hands on his body, but he knew that was an impossibility at the moment. He wished he could gently take her hands and kiss them with a feather-soft touch. He loved her so very much. 

Amy let out a nearly muffled cry as she felt the blond man's rock- hardness against her crotch, small pleasurable sensations shooting through her as one of his hands moves from her face to her breast. He held it there as he moved his lips from hers to her throat, kissing the base of it. Then, taking care not to come into contact with her injured hands, he nearly danced her to the bed, the diva allowing him to lay her down on it. 

She watched, licking her lips in her desire, as the Canadian quickly undid his jeans. Then, before he was even out of them, he leaned over and tugged at the redhead's shirt, which she helped him get her out of as she shrugged a bit out of it. Afterward, he kicked out of his jeans, and there was a fire in Amy's eyes as she gazed down at the bulge in his briefs. She wanted him so badly, she could almost taste it. 

And she did... The moment his briefs were down and off, the redheaded woman sat up in the bed, and slowly, without the use of her hands, she took him into her warm, velvety mouth. His eyes closed tightly for a beat at the sensation, as he thought he might explode. God, it had been far too long... 

Before he couldn't stand it any longer, Adam moved away, slipping from between her beautiful full lips and lowered himself to the bed on top of her. He supported his weight so as to not crush her, pressing his lips down onto hers, one of his hands reaching down between them and finding her. God, she was wet... 

Quickly, after breaking the kiss, he repositioned himself between her legs and easily slid inside of her. She was tight around him as he began to thrust slowly, then faster. 

After a few minutes, the redhead felt the orgasm coming hard and fast, and she threw her head back in her ecstasy, crying out and wanting nothing more than to pull him all the way down against her - but she couldn't, so she just clutched him as close as possible with her legs, which she'd clasped around his narrow waist. 

He'd been holding on for what felt like a long time to him, given the fact that he'd been celibate for the last few weeks. But now, after Amy climaxing, he felt himself going over the edge as well. He moaned her name as he came, lowering his head so that his brow was pressed against hers, and his breath came hard and fast as he emptied into her. 

Afterward, he collapsed beside her, both their breathing still hard, their bodies sweat-slicked. Gently, he took hold of one of her arms, pressing a kiss to the wrist. Then, propping himself on one elbow as he gazed down into her beautiful but exhausted face, he smoothed some strands of her red hair off her face. 

"Don't ever be hesitant with me again..." 

"Huh?" She gazed up into his face searchingly, her hazel orbs widening. 

The blond man let out a soft chuckle. God, she was adorable - and that was only one of the reasons he'd fallen in love with her. 

"If you ever want me, don't hesitate - just take me," he clarified. 

Amy laughed, and the lilting, feminine sound was like music to his ears. 

Part 5 

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	5. Chapter 5

Torrie bit her lip as she stared across the hallway at the tall blond man. 

at the very moment, Adam Copeland was alone, his redheaded girlfriend nowhere in sight. Well, she knew Amy was sort of on a break and would not be doing any in-ring work for awhile, although she was still in the dark as to the reason. For a moment, Torrie wondered if maybe the other woman was pregnant, but then discarded that idea. No doubt, whatever was up, it had everything to do with whatever had led to her hands getting injured badly enough that they needed to be bandgaged. She naturally hadn't had the nerve to ask the redhead about it, but so far, Matt didn't know the story, either. 

The tall platinum blonde raised her right hand to chew nervously on a cuticle on her thumb. God, why had she ever agreed to do this? Despite what some people might think, it wasn't her at all. 

Steeling herself, she straightened her back, tossed her long hair over one shoulder and headed over to where the Canadian was still standing. 

His profile was toward her, and he was clad in a pair of white wrestling tights, his long blond hair slightly damp from a recent shower. Torrie didn't fail to take notice of how good-looking a man he was - but she was not the type to go after someone else's boyfriend. Well, not for real, anyway. 

"Hi..." She raised her left hand and twirled a lock of platinum through her forefinger. It was pretty much an unconscious gesture, something the young woman typically did when she was nervous - not a flirting gesture as most people would believe. 

"Oh, hey, Torrie." Adam offered her a slight smile, but his attention was elsewhere in a split second. He appeared to be distracted, to say the least. 

The diva smiled as well, but it was short-lived as she was plagued by guilt over what she was going to do. Still, she'd given Matt Hardy her word - and Matt was the one person she didn't want to disappoint. 

Damn it... 

"How's it going, Adam?" Torrie asked, moving over just enough so that she was again in his direct line of vision. She smiled more brightly, daring to reach out and place a finger on his forearm. She hoped her unease wouldn't show. 

Adam glanced down at the finger the tall blonde woman had laid on him, his brow arching. Then, ignoring the odd nagging feeling that had suddenly come over him, he shrugged. 

"Things are okay," he said. "Guess I'm just a little nervous about my match." 

"Oh, why?" Torrie cocked her head as she looked up at him with curiosity. 

The blond man briefly met her blue eyes, then shrugged lightly again. 

"I just am," he said with a sigh. "I guess I've been a bit on edge lately ever since Amy's-" The Canadian abruptly stopped speaking, and he wondered why he'd said as much as he had. Prior to this, he'd pretty much never carried on a conversation with Torrie Wilson. He wondered why he would start now, but guessed that what he'd been doing was sort of thinking out loud. The only difference was that the blonde had been questioning him. 

He shook his head, then ran his right hand through his mass of long golden hair. 

"I should get to gorilla position," he said. "See you, Torrie..." He turned to head down the hallway, but the diva stopped him with a hand that grabbed at his left arm. Adam frowned for a second, but it went unnoticed by the woman before he turned back toward her. 

"Have a good match," she said, making sure her voice was syrupy sweet. "And I hope we can continue this talk some other time..." 

The tall Canadian nodded before turning back to continue away - leaving Torrie standing there, feeling incredibly stupid. 

Just as she was about to walk away to return to the divas' locker room, she caught sight of him - Matt, who was standing a few feet away, a grin on his face. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up. 

Torrie closed her eyes and sighed before leaving the corridor. 

Part 6 

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	6. Chapter 6

Adam's mind was still vaguely on the earlier incident with Torrie Wilson as he made his way back to the locker room. 

The platinum blonde diva seemed nice enough, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that she'd been too nice, as though trying something with him. And of course, she knew he was with Amy. What was her agenda? 

He shrugged to himself as he reached his locker room. Maybe he was just blowing things out of proportion. Lord knew, he'd been a bit on edge since the last three weeks, while things had been a mess between Amy and himself. 

Speaking of Amy... The tall blond man ducked into the locker room, his face brightening as he caught sight of her. The redhead was on the couch, her form partly curled up as she lay there, her head turned in the direction of the television monitor. She looked so angelic, it nearly hurt his heart. The only thing that marred the picture were the bandages on her hands. 

He eyed her silently for another moment from the doorway, noting she didn't even realize he'd entered the room. His heart swelled with love as he watched her. Then, he cleared his throat as he came forward. 

"Hey..." 

Amy looked up at the sound of his beloved voice, a soft smile coming to her lips. 

"Hi," she said sleepily. "I just saw your match." 

Adam made his way to the couch, the diva shifting over just enough so that he could sit on the edge of it. The tall blond man raised one hand to her face as he gazed tenderly into her lovely face. Their eyes locked and held as he caressed the soft, silken skin of her cheek, and then his fingers traveled to her chin. He tipped her head up just enough, a tiny smile gracing his lips. Then, slowly, he lowered his mouth on hers, enveloping her in a kiss so tender yet passionate, it took her breath away and nearly brought her to tears. 

The soft smile was again on the blond man's handsome face as he raised his head from hers. 

"I love you, Ames." Adam moved his face close to hers again, nuzzling her tenderly. Her warm breath was against his cheek, and he heard her sweet voice issuing her heartfelt response. 

"I love you, too, Adam..." 

"So, don't keep me in suspense anymore," Matt said as he turned to face Torrie. "How'd it go?" 

The blonde woman tilted her head to the side, making a face of slight uncertainty. She still didn't feel right about this, but she'd given her word. 

"It... went," she answered, giving a slight shrug. "I did exactly as you asked." 

"And?" Matt demanded, his hands out in an impatient gesture. "What does that mean, 'it went!'" 

"Just that I went up to him and talked to him, and-" 

"And flirted with him?" 

"Yes," Torrie replied on a sigh. "I flirted with him." 

"Can you be more specific?" the dark-haired man demanded. 

The tall blonde flinched, but it was so fast she doubted Matt even noticed. 

"I was super sweet, and I acted all interested and stuff," she elaborated. "He didn't seem to care." 

"What?" 

The blonde woman sighed again. 

"Matt, it's so obvious he's in love with Amy," she said, giving a little shrug. "I..." She bit her lip, her blue eyes downcast for a beat. Why was she feeling so nervous to go on? Then, steeling herself, "I think we should just forget the whole thing." 

"What? No!" the dark-haired man cried. "I know I'm right, that he's only using her!" When the diva didn't relent and immediately agree, he grew quieter and tried a new tactic. Calmly, reaching out to grasp her hand gently, he went on. "Please, Torrie... please, I can't do this without you..." 

Torrie's gaze traveled to their hands, his completely covering her smaller one, then back up to his dark eyes. Damn it, she just couldn't say no to him. 

"Okay..." she said softly, nodding, and a slew of butterflies fluttered in her stomach as their eyes locked. "Okay, I'll continue this with you." 

Part 7 

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	7. Chapter 7

"Hey..." 

Trish Stratus' face brightened into a smile as she entered the women's locker room and caught sight of her friend. 

Amy smiled as well and came forth to allow the little blonde to gather her into her embrace. 

"How are you, Amy?" 

Trish pulled back to gaze up into her close friend's eyes. She'd known of all the trouble as of late, and still felt pretty horrible about her participation in what had led to the redhead's near breakdown. 

"I'm... well," the redhead replied with a tiny smile. "Things are definitely better." 

"And what about...?" The blonde woman's gaze traveled to her friend's hands, and she winced at the sight of the bandages. 

"Hanging in there," the taller woman replied. "I think they'll come off within a week - or at least the doctor says it's possible." 

Trish felt a twinge of sadness as she recalled the redhead's recount of how her hands had gotten all cut up. It was unthinkable. To her, Amy Dumas was everything one would think incapable of depression - and especially attempted suicide - and yet, that was exactly what had happened. 

"So, does that mean you'll be back in the ring after...?" The blonde diva glanced down at her friend's hands. 

"I'm... not sure," Amy admitted. The company wanted her to undergo some therapy after everything she'd been through. And, to be honest, she understood perfectly well why and didn't blame them. 

"You mean..." Trish leaned in to whisper, wanting for once to be as discreet as possible. "... a therapist?" 

"Exactly," Amy replied, her eyes downcast. The truth was, she was embarrassed by the breakdown she'd suffered. She'd long prided herself on being such a strong, emotionally independent woman, and yet... She'd grown really weak in recent days. 

Trish nodded and touched her friend's arm sympathetically and with understanding. 

"Well... It could only help you," she said softly. 

"Honestly?" the redheaded diva said. "I'm fine since Adam and I got back together. But... I'm just embarrassed because..." She ducked her head slightly, her hair falling in soft waves to frame her face and slightly hide her eyes. She pushed the auburn from her face, glancing almost shyly at her blonde friend. 

Neither woman noticed that another diva was discreetly listening to their conversation, her blue eyes shifting back and forth in their direction and she prepared for her spot later in the evening. 

Torrie took a deep breath and held it as she absorbed Amy's words. From what she'd softly told Trish, she was ashamed of something she'd done. And that had everything to do with her boyfriend, Adam. The platinum blonde now guessed the redhead must have tried to harm herself recently, which explained her bandaged hands. Still, the various details were choppy to her, but she knew it had to be the case. But any which way you looked at it, it was really none of her business. 

Suddenly, her heart began to thud as Amy glanced right in her direction - at a precise moment when she happened to be eyeing her intently. 

She offered the redhead a warm smile to cover up and prayed she was convincing. 

Part 8 

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	8. Chapter 8

Amy bit her lip as she sat in the catering room a bit later on. She didn't have a spot that night on RAW, but she was starving. Adam had told her not to wait for him and instead left to take his shower, promising her he would meet her there afterward. 

At the moment, the redhead was eating some macaroni salad and chicken, and doing so very gingerly with her bandaged right hand. It was difficult to maneuver the plastic fork she held, but somehow, she managed to not be so messy. 

She looked up as someone suddenly entered the room, her gaze staying on the person. It was Matt, the dark-haired man's gaze on her as he strode into the catering area and pulled up a chair to sit across from her. 

"Hey..." he said, a crooked half-smile coming to his face. 

"Hi," she replied with a mouthful of food. She held her other hand up to her mouth to spare him from seeing the stuff she was chewing. She felt her guard go up just a few notches, as she remembered hearing from Jeff and even Adam himself that things had been pretty messy the last month or so. She felt horrible that Adam and Matt had had a falling out because of her. She recalled that the dark-haired man had punched the blond man in the face. 

"So... How's it going?" 

The diva put down her fork as she swallowed the rest of what was currently in her mouth. She looked from him, then glanced at the bottle of water at her left side and took a long sip before she answered. 

"I'm pretty good now, Matt." She forced a smile again and nodded. 

"Are you sure?" he asked, his dark eyes fixed to her face. He was checking for signs - for any kind of signs of abuse or tears that might have been emerging from the redhead's eyes. So far, her eyes appeared clear, bloodshot-free, her face a tiny bit pale but healthy-looking otherwise. She didn't look depressed, but sometimes people hid these things well. 

"Yeah, I really am." She raised her head to look directly into his eyes. Somehow, she sensed she knew where he was heading with all of this, and it was beginning to annoy her. She could just see the interrogation in his face already. 

"I wanted to talk to you," Matt went on, ignoring her response. He shifted his gaze from her face to her hands, and she held her breath, anticipating the worst - exactly as she'd expected. 

Amy flipped her head slightly to one side, her hair slinging over her shoulder, her eyes raising heavenward as she waited. 

"Don't lie to me, Amy - I know you far too well," he said, his voice reduced to a near whisper. He leaned in closer and gently gripped her forearm. "What happened between you two the other night?" 

Her hazel eyes widened in shock at his candidness. He was awfully bold for a guy who'd attacked her boyfriend a few nights previous. How could he have the nerve? 

"I don't know what you mean." 

"I think you do," he countered. Again, his brown eyes lowered to take in the bandaged hands, and she felt her blood pressure raise a few points. "He hurt you, didn't he?" 

"No," she said firmly, anger showing clearly on her face as she glared at him with consternation. She pushed her plate aside, her eyes narrowed. 

"You're lying... What did that prick do to you?" he demanded, rage coming into his own countenance. "Your hands, Amy - what the hell did he do to you?" 

"He didn't do a damn thing!" she shouted, not caring that anyone could just waltz into the room and hear their conversation. She felt her temples throbbing as she stared at him. "Not that it's any of your business, Matt, but Adam did not do this to me," she snapped, raising both her hands and showing them to him. 

"Bullshit... Stop making excuses for him. Don't protect him, he doesn't deserve it!" 

"Shut up!" Amy shouted, springing up out of her chair so quickly that it fell backward behind her. She paid no heed to it as she glared down at the man, her breathing increasing in speed as her temper got the better of her. She felt about ten seconds away from smacking him, which wouldn't be a good idea with her hands all cut up the way they were. She could set back the progress of the healing, and she couldn't have that happen. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about! But if you really need to know everything that goes on in my life, fine! The truth is, I am the one who did this!" Again, she held her hands out in front of her, brandishing them out to him almost as though they were weapons. "I wasn't thinking, and I felt like I couldn't live without him, and I smashed my fucking hands into the bathroom mirror in the hotel! Okay! Does that make you feel better!" 

Matt simply stared at her, shock coursing through him. In reality, he'd never suspected Amy had done anything to hurt herself, or even that she had the ability to do so. It was unfathomable. 

"Oh... I didn't-" 

"That's right, you didn't!" she shouted, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Don't ever get in my face like this again! And I don't ever want to hear you say such disgusting things about Adam again! Because if you do, that's it..." 

The elder Hardy brother stared at her expectantly. 

"... I'll never speak to you again. Our friendship will be dead and over with - forever!" With those words, the redhead stormed from the catering room and ran down the hallway. 

Part 9 

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	9. Chapter 9

Adam returned to the locker room after his shower feeling refreshed and ready to face the rest of the night. He couldn't wait to get out of the arena with Amy and return to the hotel and had tons of thoughts whirling through his head when he suddenly realized something...

... As he neared his locker room, he could hear the distinct sound of crying. He frowned and rushed inside.

He cocked his head to one side, concern flooding through him as he eyed her. The redhead had returned, and she was huddled almost into herself on the couch halfway across the room, sobbing.

"Amy? Baby, what is it?" he demanded, rushing directly to her. He sank to his knees before the crying woman, his towel, shampoo and other stuff forgotten as he focused on his girlfriend.

The redhead raised her head, a look of misery dominating her features as she peered down at him with reddened hazel eyes. And just by taking in the expression on the blond man's face, she cried even harder.

Adam winced, his large hands resting gently on her knees. His heart nearly broke at the extent of sadness she was apparently feeling. What the hell had happened that had her so horribly upset now?

"Sweetie, what is it? What's the matter?"

Amy shook her head, bowing her head forward, her long red hair falling in soft waves to curtain her face. She couldn't say it... If she did, she knew exactly what would happen - and damn it, she wanted Adam and Matt to mend the dispute between them and be friends again.

"Talk to me," he said softly, his green eyes full of concern and shining clearly with all the love he felt for her. He kept a steady contact with her, his eyes locked on hers and stroked her knee tenderly.

"M-Matt," she managed to get out. "I saw him in catering."

The blond man's gaze hardened. So, Matt had approached her and done or said something to upset her? Why was it that he was suddenly thinking he should have known better? His right hand clenched into a tight fist.

"What did he do to you?" he demanded.

Amy stiffened at the question, not only from the harshness of his tone, but more so because of the actual words themselves. She couldn't tell him... What would he think? And, even more importantly, what would he do? She was pretty sure she knew the answer - he would go seek out Matt and kill him!

"He didn't do anything," she said weakly. "It... it was something he said." She shook her head, wanting to just forget all about running into Matt at catering. He was supposed to be her friend... He was supposed to be Adam's friend, too! How could he ever think something so terrible? How he could even entertain the mere notion that the blond man could or would ever physically hurt her? It tore away at her heart.

The Canadian's face was by now full of anger. His emerald eyes were widened from it as he glanced around the area as he tried to rein in his temper. Unfortunately, it was a losing battle.

"What did he say to you?"

The redhead shook her head.

"I... I don't even want to say it."

He gave her a strange look as he cocked his head to one side and examined her.

"He didn't call you a slut or a whore or something else, did he?" he asked.

"No," she replied evenly, shaking her head. "He didn't. I... I can't tell you, Adam."

The tall blond man stood back up, and this time both of his hands balled into fists. He gazed down at her with tenderness for a beat until he spoke.

"Well, that's just fine and good - I'll just go and beat it out of him. You stay right here!" He turned and fled the room, leaving the redhead behind. She even issued a shout after him, but he ignored it. All he could think of was getting his hands on Matt Hardy and demanding answers from him. The man had made the woman he loved cry her heart out, and damn it, he wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Adam was relieved that Amy actually listened to him and stayed back in the locker room as he raced down the arena hallway. He couldn't exactly focus on much of anything, however, except getting to the Hardyz's locker room. He didn't give a damn if Jeff was there, or that the younger man might physically get involved, either. At least Jeff had some sense. Hell, he might even side with him because he knew just how irrational his brother had been for the last couple of months.

Finally at the proper locker room, the tall blond man raised his right fist and pounded it hard against the door.

"Matt Hardy? Open this fucking door!" he shouted, his voice quickly becoming a growl. "Let me in, you gutless son of a bitch!"

There was no response. Yet Adam couldn't detect any sounds coming from within the room, either. He turned around in circles, his body shaking in his anger, and suddenly he realized Jeff was approaching.

"Hey, man... What's going on?" The young man frowned as he realized the blond man was angry.

"I'm looking for your brother," Adam replied evenly. "Have you seen him?"

"Yeah, he's right-" The rainbow-haired man didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as the Canadian suddenly caught sight of Matt on his own. Then, before his shocked eyes, Adam took off, moving at unbelievable speed as he speared his older brother down to the floor.

Part 10

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	10. Chapter 10

"Adam! Adam, chill!"

The shout came from Jeff, the young man instantly making a grab for the angry blond man. The Canadian showed no resistance as he pulled him off of his older brother.

"You God damned son of a bitch..." Adam hissed between clenched teeth. His face was bright red in all his rage. "I don't know what you said to Amy that had her crying her eyes out - but trust me when I say if it happens again... Well, what I do to you will be ten times worse than this!"

Matt glared up at the tall blond man, a hand clutching at the back of his head. His former friend had taken off at top speed, spearing him right into the cement floor. It hurt badly enough that he was feeling dazed. He thought he had quite the goose egg as well. He'd have to pay the blond man back on another occasion.

"Oh, my God!" a female voice cried. The three men looked up to the source and saw Trish Stratus standing nearby. Jay Reso, Adam's best friend, was right beside her, his blue eyes slightly wide as he took in the scene.

The little blonde rushed over, her gaze searching Adam's green eyes. Trish was a really good friend, but for the moment, he ignored her.

"What happened!"

"Not now," Jay said softly as he nudged her. Whatever had occurred here - and it was plainly obvious that Adam had just gotten into a scuffle with Matt - it had everything to do with Amy. He knew how much his best friend loved the redhead, and the elder Hardy had certainly not been making things easy for them lately.

Jeff eyed Adam almost warily, but he didn't ask any questions. He couldn't help wondering, however, what it was that had set the tall Canadian off - that is, what Matt had said to Amy to make her cry. He would do that later... But for the time being, he helped his brother to his feet and began to usher him out of the area.

Trish and Jay joined Adam, the three of them staring after the Hardys when Matt turned back.

"This... This isn't over!" he shouted, wincing at the dull, throbbing ache in the back of his head. Shit... He hoped he didn't have a concussion after that damned spear. But one thing was for sure - when he was feeling better, he would pay dividends to Adam Copeland.

The tall blond man stared after the Hardy with rage still glittering in his emerald eyes but didn't bother responding. After all, at this point, words weren't necessary - he'd made his point and won this particular battle. Besides, he didn't give a damn about Matt Hardy anymore. The guy had gone - in the span of under a month - from being one of his closest friends to being his worst enemy. He'd made things even more difficult between Amy and himself when they'd been apart and broken up for those three weeks - the three most miserable weeks of his life - and now that they were back together, he'd evidently grown into more of an asshole. It was almost impossible to believe that he and Jeff were brothers.

"What happened, Adam?" Trish repeated now that the three of them were alone. They began walking down the hallway in the opposite direction than the Hardys had gone.

"He made her cry," he repeated, a hollow inflection in his tone. He shook his head, his hands clenching into fists. "The bastard made her cry. I returned to my locker room to find her sobbing her heart out."

"Aww..." the little blonde said, a sad expression crossing her face. Quickly, she looked up to her other side to exchange glances with Jay. "What did he say to her?"

"That's the thing - I don't know," the tall blond man said angrily. "She wouldn't tell me, which leads me to guess that it was something damn bad."

"Gotcha," the shorter blond man said. He knew how crazy his best friend was about the redhead - and he knew Adam would do anything for her.

Torrie knocked on the door to the Hardys' locker room, her gaze sweeping over the area. She just hoped Jeff wasn't there. Though if he was, she could always make up some excuse.

To her relief, it was the older brother who answered. But the platinum blonde was taken aback by the icepack he held to the back of his head.

"Oh, my God... What happened?"

"Two words," Matt replied angrily, "Adam Copeland." He shook his aching head, then cast a quick glance over his shoulder. "Look," he whispered, "I'll explain later - call me on my cell phone after the show."

Wordlessly, Torrie nodded.

Part 11

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	11. Chapter 11

One Week Later

Adam stood by her side patiently, finding it increasingly difficult not to wince. But throughout it all, the redhead managed to be brave and not utter a single exclamation of pain.

They were in the trainer's room at the arena, and she was having the stitches removed from her hands. The doctor had deemed it perfectly fine for her to have the procedure here. Her hands had been healing up nicely, and, although the man had told her they would still be a bit sensitive for another week or so, things seemed otherwise fine.

When the trainer had finished with her left hand, she reached it to her boyfriend. Tentatively - even reluctantly - Adam took gentle hold of the delicate appendage, flinching slightly as he worried about hurting her. That didn't seem to be the case at all, however, as she offered him a small smile.

He gave her a smile of his own as the trainer worked on her right hand. And hell, he even managed to give her left a gentle, loving squeeze. She was taking this all in stride, and like himself, he knew she'd been counting the minutes until the bandages and stitches would be coming off.

The door was just slightly ajar, and at the corner of his eye, Adam could swear he'd just seen a blur of blonde rush by. He didn't get a chance to see exactly who it was, however, so he thought it might be Trish. The petite blonde had been so worried for the both of them ever since the whole mess with Matt had started.

"I saw them," Torrie announced as she slipped into Matt's locker room.

"Good." This time, they didn't have to worry about being too discreet, as Matt had decided not to share a locker room with his brother for awhile. Jeff was just far too perceptive and would no doubt ask a million questions - the least probing of which about Torrie. After all, he and the blonde woman had never talked much prior to Adam and Amy's sickening display in the middle of the ring on the night they'd made their relationship public.

"And?" the dark-haired man asked.

"And... She was getting the bandages and stitches removed from her hands," Torrie answered. She refrained from saying more. The truth was, she really didn't see a point to what she and Matt were doing. It was wrong... It was dishonest, and she didn't feel right about spying on them. They were obviously in love and meant to be together. But Matt had this theory and needed her help, and the diva just couldn't say no to him. That worried her.

"Damn it... I still think he did something..." Matt suddenly muttered.

"What?" Torrie arched her brows, not comprehending his meaning.

Matt shifted his dark eyes on her blue, realizing for the first time that sice they'd started meeting like this, he'd never told her. He'd never shared what he'd found out from Amy after their spat in the catering room.

"You don't know, do you?" he asked, partially to himself. "She tried to kill herself."

Torrie's eyes widened in shock, her mouth flying open simultaneously. Only half of her reaction was due to the fact that Matt had such a matter-of-fact attitude in the way he'd announced such a thing.

"... She said she smashed her hands into the bathroom mirror in her hotel room."

"My God!"

"And it's all his fault!" Matt snarled, his temples beginning to throb as he thought of Adam Copeland. "That damn, no good bastard."

"B-but why is it his fault?" the blonde woman asked.

"He drove her to it!" Matt replied incredulously. "I know he did, and I'm not gonna let him get away with it!"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Amy looked up into Adam's bright green eyes, her heart throbbing warmly at the extent of concern she saw within. He really and truly did love her so. It sent chills up her spine... And to think that two mere months earlier, she honestly hadn't thought he loved her.

"Baby, I'm fine." She followed his gaze as it trailed down to their clasped hands. He hadn't been holding hers too tightly out of fear he would hurt her. It caused a sharp loving pain in her heart. He was so very sweet. "My hands feel great," she continued, a small smile playing at her lips. She cocked her head as she spoke next. "And I'm going to show you just how great they feel when we get back to the locker room." She bit her lip almost shyly as she examined his handsome face for a reaction.

A grin tugged at the tall blond man's lips - one he couldn't contain even if his life depended on it.

Instead of responding verbally, the Canadian quickened his steps, and the redhead had to jog to keep up with his pace. And in no time, they were back in the locker room they were sharing.

The blond man kicked the door shut, nearly attacking her with his lips as he backed her against the door. His tongue slipped between her lips in an instant, kissing the breath from her. He groaned as she nearly sucked his tongue from his mouth, his desire increasing by the second.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked as he raised his head from hers, his voice low and husky. It had been awhile - not since that first time since she'd still had the bandages on her hands.

"God, yes..." Amy breathed. She reached up with her newly healed hand, pulling his head down to hers for another searing kiss. She whimpered as she felt him growing hard against her.

Hurriedly, Adam's fingers worked at her clothing, frantic in their task as he broke the kissing only long enough to remove the garments. He kissed her again, his lips even more demanding as he reached down to undo the button and zipper on his jeans. He kicked out of them, his shoes and socks following.

Amy moved her hands from his hair to his briefs, and he moaned as she fondled him before completely removing the underwear. Next went the blond man's shirt, and then he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the couch. He growled as he laid her down, as not a moment later, her hands were again touching his most sensitive areas. She fisted his erection, yanking it pleasurably, her other hand going down to caress his testicles. God, she was driving him mad.

It didn't go on for too long, as she was moaning her further need for him. He grinned as he repositioned himself between her shapely legs. He lowered his head to crush his lips to hers in another breathtaking kiss, gripping his throbbing member at the same time - and then, in one fluid motion, he filled her completely.

"Sweet Christ..." he swore, his eyes closing for a moment at the feel of being so deeply seated within her.

It went on for awhile, and Adam was acutely aware of the redhead's small, graceful, newly healed hands gripping his back, massaging at the muscles. She slid them down to grip his buttocks, as though trying to pull him even more deeply inside of her, and it was so pleasurable, he couldn't stand it any longer. Fortunately, Amy beat him to the punch, as she was suddenly crying out, his name leaving her lips. He followed instantly, a loud moan escaping him as he collapsed against her as he came. God, it was intense. But their lovemaking had always been so intense and amazing.

"Wow..." he breathed afterward. Sweat was pouring off of him and down onto her, mingling with her own.

The redhead smiled sweetly up at him, hazel eyes still filled with a haze of passion.

"Mmm..." she murmured. "... I couldn't agree more."

Adam chuckled softly and leaned down to capture her lips in another soft kiss.

Part 12

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	12. Chapter 12

She kept her eyes and ears wide open as she stepped into the hotel. She'd managed to do exactly as she'd been instructed and tail them.

Torrie wondered, not for the first time, why exactly she was doing this. Adam and Amy were obviously in love, and she couldn't see any indication at all that the blond man was untrue and only using the fiery redhead. But, all that aside, why was it that the platinum blonde could just never say no to Matt Hardy?

She knew the answer to that mental question and knew it all too well. The simple fact of the matter was that, ever since she'd joined the WWF, she'd had a crush on him. It was something Torrie had never been able to pinpoint, but there was just something about the dark-haired North Carolina native.

The blonde kept a good distance behind the couple, taking care to be discreet for the time being so they wouldn't see her. She knew there was nothing foul about their relationship, and yet, here she was, spying and doing even more than that. If Matt only knew how hard this was for her, and why she'd agreed on it in the first place. Everything they had planned went against her principles, but... damn him.

Amy had had the bandages and stitches removed from her hands a few days earlier. She hadn't yet returned to the ring, but evidently, she was healed - at least physically. Torrie winced as she recalled what Matt had told her about how the redhead had tried to kill herself. Try as she might, Torrie could never see things being so bad where she'd even consider suicide as an option - no matter what. She enjoyed living far too much.

From a distance off to her far right, the platinum blonde spotted Matt. Even from here, she could see the expectant expression on his face, as though he were urging her.

Torrie sucked in a breath and squared her shoulders. Finally, she stepped forward to do exactly as Matt had instructed her.

"I think it would be fun if my first match back was a mixed tag with you as my partner," Amy was saying. She glanced down at their clasped hands, noting that there was not even the slightest hint of pain.

Adam chuckled, his emerald eyes glinting with mischief.

"Well, how about this... Let's go up to our room and do a little tag teaming of our own."

The redhead laughed heartily, loving the sound of that when they were suddenly approached.

Torrie Wilson's face donned a bright smile as she raised a hand to her hair, twirling a lock of it. She looked only at Adam, and Amy frowned at that. The tall blonde woman had always been nice enough toward her, but what was up with this? She seemed to be flirtatious, and right in front of her! "Hi, Adam... What are you up to?"

The redhead wanted to shout, 'What's it to you?!' and felt her blood boiling. Who the hell did Torrie think she was?

"We're up to getting to our room," the Canadian replied, turning back to his girlfriend and overtly ignoring the other woman. "Come on, Ames." They hurried on along their way, and the redhead glanced back over her shoulder to openly glare suspiciously at Torrie.

The blonde woman's heart sunk. She hated this. And then, she caught sight of Matt Hardy once again, the nodding of his head and pleased look on his face not lost on her.

Part 13

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	13. Chapter 13

"You did a great job," Matt said, his dark eyes meeting her blue. "Well done." 

Torrie couldn't help but blush at the gaze. His brown orbs were so intense, unwavering as they fixed on her. If he only knew the effect he was currently having on her, and had on her in general. And then, at the same time, she felt uneasy and strange about what she'd been doing. Spying on Adam and Amy was one thing, but going so far as to actually interfere in their relationship was another. 

It was on the tip of her tongue to thank Matt, but then she changed directions. 

"Matt, I... I don't feel right about what we're doing," she admitted. 

He stared at her, surprised. The platinum blonde looked almost shy as she regarded him. 

"Why? I know he's got evil intentions - does that make it better?" 

"No... Yes... I don't know!" Torrie cried, hating the conflicting emotions inside of her. Her head was telling her one thing, while her heart was screaming something completely different. She saw nothing wrong between Amy Dumas and Adam Copeland. Despite everything Matt insisted on, she didn't believe that Adam was using Amy, or that the blond man was bad for her. As far as she had seen for herself, those two loved each other. Why was Matt so intent on splitting them apart? 

"It's just that I don't understand," Torrie explained. "They appear to be so in love. Why do you want to do this?" 

Matt smirked, but then a malicious expression came over his countenance. 

"Torrie, what you have to understand is this - things are not always as they appear." 

She bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the floor. Why was she suddenly experiencing such a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach? She knew... She knew, and it bothered her. Then, she verbalized it. 

"Are you in love with her? Is that it, you want to break them up because you want her for yourself?" 

The darker Hardy gave her an odd look. 

"No, of course not! Torrie, Amy is like a sister to me - nothing more, nothing less. And I won't let that son of a bitch hurt her. I know him, Torrie... I know what he's capable of." Matt's expression grew darker, more angry. "He hurt her once before, he'll do it again." He shook his head. "But I won't let it happen again," he insisted. "And that's why we're doing this." 

The blonde winced at the intensity of his speech. This was all just too much. In her heart of hearts, Torrie knew that Matt was wrong... At the same time, she couldn't bring herself to say no to him. She just didn't have the heart to. 

She nodded. 

"I see." 

Matt's mood suddenly changed as he inched closer to her, closing the distance between them. All this time, as they'd been talking in his hotel room, she'd been standing near the window. He'd invited her to sit, but she'd opted to stand instead. 

"Thank you," he said softly, his gaze on her different than any other time she could recall. "Thank you for helping me with this." 

To Torrie's vast shock, the dark-haired man wrapped his arms around her, drawing her against him. She stiffened for the briefest moment, full of shock over the physical contact, but quickly recovered and returned the hug. Her eyes closed at the feeling of his embrace, and she inhaled the scent of his cologne. 

Shocking the tall blonde even further, Matt suddenly gazed into her face, and his lips drew near to hers.


	14. Chapter 14

Amy was still annoyed when she and Adam were back in their hotel room. In fact, she was fuming. Good thing her hands were all healed up and the bandages had been removed, as she couldn't stop clenching them into fists.

"I mean, who the hell does she think she is?!" the redhead raged. She let her suitcase drop to the floor as she nearly stomped over to the bed to sit on its edge. She didn't stay seated for longer than a few seconds, however, and sprang back up to pace the floor. Her hands came up toward her head as she gestured all her anger. "She hits on you right in front of me?! What the hell...?!"

Adam left his own suitcase over near the door, abandoning it as he stepped forth to ease his furious girlfriend.

"Amy... Sweetie, calm down." The blond man put a calm yet restraining hand on her shoulder... Damn, she was tense. "Torrie is just overly friendly, but I couldn't care less about her," he assured her. "Trust me, you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"I know that!" the redhead cried. "But that's not the point. She acts as though I wasn't even there! How dare she!"

"Ames!" Adam took hold of her hand and led her to the bed to sit down. When she sighed and obliged reluctantly, he knelt before her, grasping both her hands in his, his emerald eyes locked on her fire-filled hazel. "Listen to me, baby... This is exactly what people want - for us to have problems." He sneered as he corrected himself. "Well, it's what one person wants, at least." His features grew angrier by the second as he thought of Matt Hardy. That bastard would just love it if he and Amy were to break up. Knowing that asshole, he'd probably throw a party!

"I guess you're right," the diva said in a much calmer, more even voice. She let out a breath, pulling one hand free of her boyfriend's to run it through her hair.

"Holy shit... That's it," Adam surmised. It has to be! I bet I'm right."

Amy cocked her head as she eyed him curiously.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Don't you see, Ames? Someone wants us broken up!"

The redhead frowned, her anger returning.

"Yeah, Torrie obviously is on the make for you."

"No... I'm not talking about her," he cut in. "Think about it... Who is the one person who's been giving us crap for the last month plus?"

The young woman seemed to be at a momentary loss. Then, after a beat, her hazel eyes widened as recognition shone clearly on her pretty face.

"Oh, my God..." she breathed. "... You mean... Matt?"

"That's exactly who I mean," her boyfriend confirmed. "Something is definitely up. And you know what?"

Amy's brows rose quizzically.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Torrie is in on it with him," the blond man went on. "I always thought she was a nice enough girl, but to tell you the truth, nothing would surprise me where Matt Hardy is concerned." He shook his head angrily. "I thought the guy was my friend, but he's shown a very ugly, unpleasant and unsavory side of himself in these last couple of months."

Amy's eyes seemed full of horror. She sincerely hoped Adam was wrong. Matt was her friend, and he'd once been the blond man's friend as well. She didn't want to believe it possible that he might be scheming - and with Torrie Wilson, no less - to break her and Adam apart.

She was simply speechless. While a part of her wanted to disbelieve and deny her boyfriend's allegations, the deeper, wiser part of her saw otherwise. As Adam had stated, Matt did seem capable of anything these days. After all, it hadn't been very long ago that he'd just outrightly accused Adam of injuring her hands!

"Ames?" Adam cocked his head as he peered up into her beautiful but stricken face. She looked almost on the verge of tears, and it wrenched at his heart.

"Oh, God... You... you're right," she managed. "I think you're right!" Rather than giving in to the sob she'd felt building up inside of her, she scowled, anger washing it all away. "That no good bastard!"

"We won't give him the satisfaction," the Canadian declared emphatically. He raised her hands to his face, kissing each one in turn. "I love you, baby... And I'll be damned if I let a jerk like him tear us apart."

The redhead gazed down at her, one of her hands pulling free to hold him close against her breats. She nuzzled the top of his blond head, her own head spinning with the dizzying realizations. Adam pulled back just enough to look up, meeting her eyes again.

"I have an idea," he proclaimed. When she looked at him questioningly, he elaborated. "Let's do what we did before... That way, he'll leave us alone."

"Adam...?"

"Let's pretend we're not together," the blond man said. There was a determined gleam in his green orbs as he continued. "If he thinks we've broken up, he'll have no reason to fuck with us."

After a slight, initial momentary bout of skepticism and uncertainty, Amy nodded.

"That's not a bad idea at all."

But there was still something nagging at her.


	15. Chapter 15

Torrie smiled, an odd shyness coming over her as she pulled the blanket up and around her nude body.

She could hardly believe what had just happened between herself and Matt. It had been so sudden, so unexpected... Yet so unbelievably nice.

The blonde's mood dampened a bit as Matt got up from the bed to retrieve his clothing. She watched him with an instintively sinking feeling, thinking he should have been focusing on her at that moment - basking with her in the afterglow.

"So, you'll try again when?" he asked, throwing Torrie for a loop yet again. She couldn't believe he was right back on the original topic at hand. It was upsetting. However, she didn't want him to see through the tiny veneer of facade she was putting up.

"Tomorrow," she replied evenly. "I'll do it tomorrow, first chance I get."

At this point, Hardy was getting dressed.

"Good girl," he said with a smile. In a moment, he was once again fully clothed, and he stepped back over by the bed, surprising Torrie further by gathering all of her own garments and setting them beside her. Her heart sank even further, if such a thing were possible. In no uncertain terms, he was telling her he wanted her to dress and leave... So much for cuddling after sex - so much for intimacy.

The elder hardy brother eyed the blonde woman as she timidly slipped the blanket off her body, then slowly began to dress. He supposed he could allow her to stay over all night, but he'd always slept so much better alone.

Torrie felt more self-conscious than ever as she stepped into her jeans, buttoning and zippering them with a feeling of shame. While she'd wanted it to happen, she'd never envisioned Matt to be so cold and unfeeling toward her afterward! She hated the thought that was prevalent in her head - that what they'd done had been a mistake. And yet... Her feelings for Matt had not changed. If anything, now more than ever, she wanted and craved his approval and affection. She didn't need to be put on a pedestal or anything ridiculous like that, just... acknowledged and appreciated.

Once Torrie had her shoes on, Matt walked her to the door. An uncomfortable emptiness was in her stomach as he unlocked and opened it for her.

"So... I'll see you tomorrow?"

She forced a smile for his benefit as well as her own.

"Yeah." She bit her lip, her heart thundering like a double bass drum as she acted on impulse - she kissed him. A small measure of relief shot through her as Hardy kissed her back, his tongue pressed against hers. She wasn't normally so aggressive with men - but they'd already had sex, and if she hadn't taken the initiative and kissed him, would he have kissed her? Torrie wasn't so sure she wanted to know the answer.

Matt was the one to break the kiss, and the platinum blonde felt her heart breaking.

"Goodnight," the dark-haired man said softly.

Torrie raised a hand to wave.

"Goodnight," she whispered. She started down the hallway on her way back to her own room and glanced back over her shoulder, but he had already closed the door and was now locking it.

She stopped in her tracks, her gaze dropping to the floor as she felt the tears begging to be set free. His quickness to close the door immediately after she left and not watch her as she went was anything but promising. It was a definite sign - a sign that he in no way felt the same toward her as she did him.

Running a hand through her long blonde hair, Torrie hurried along the corridor, her need to retreat to her room greater by the second. Never before in her life had she felt quite so humiliated and used. Her self-esteem was just about as low as her sneakers.

She didn't notice the two people at the other end of the hallway who'd happened to notice her as they were making their way to their own rooms.

Torrie was relieved when she finally reached her door. The tears were already coming and practically choking her as she dug out her room key and swiped it through the door. In an instant, she hurried inside, closing it behind her. She stood there, pressing her back against the door as a sob tore from her throat. She raised both hands to her face, trying to drown out the harshness of her crying, all the while wondering why it hurt just as badly as it did.


	16. Chapter 16

"So, you do understand? I mean, why we're gonna do this?" the redhead asked, concern etched on her face. She glanced at her boyfreind sitting beside her in the booth, then back at her dear friend.

Jeff Hardy redirected his eyes to Amy's.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course I do." The young man nodded. "Matt's impossible, so I get why you'd want to pretend to break up in front of him." He kept his voice soft enough to be discreet, not that there was really anyone around. Well, there was one person who could prove to be trouble if they overheard this conversation...

... Jeff shifted his green eyes back to the woman. She was sitting alone at a solitary table, eating a meager breakfast of a pink grapefruit and a cup of coffee. Her shoulders were somewhat slumped, and even from this distance, the rainbow-haired man could see she hadn't gotten much sleep the prior night.

"Jeff? Hey, man, what's-"

Before Adam could finish, the younger Hardy brother rose, his hand up in a 'wait' gesture as he slipped away.

Torrie Wilson looked up abruptly, her heart pounding with nervousness as the young man suddenly appeared before her. She averted her eyes from his intense gaze, focusing instead on her coffee.

"Hello, Torrie."

"Hello, Jeff." She quickly raised her cup of the steaming beverage to her lips and took a long, big gulp - to the point that some of the hot liquid went down the wrong pipe. She began to cough and choke.

"Whoa... Are you okay?" the man asked. He was instantly nearer still, then patted her on the back to help.

The blonde's coughing subsided after a moment, but her eyes were now watering from the experience. She nodded.

"I think I'm better now. Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He eyed her for a beat, then, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to disturb you or anything," Jeff said. He quickly glanced at Adam and Amy still at the booth but directed his attention back on Torrie in an instant. "Mind if I join you for just a bit?"

Torrie eyed him warily, silent for a beat. Then, she gave a short nod, and the young man sat down on the chair across from her.

Jeff stared at her for a long moment. It was so intense and unwavering that she actually felt a chill. He seemed to be peering right through her very soul.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

The question caught the blonde woman off-guard.

"What do you... I mean, why do you ask?"

The young man shrugged.

"I dunno... You just look kind of upset about something. That concerned me."

Torrie gazed at him with wonder. Jeff Hardy was concerned for her? That was just... odd. But then again, so was he. He was definitely an enigma, to say the least. At the same time, he seemed to be the complete opposite of his older brother. She bit her lip, her head bowing as she recalled the previous night - Matt Hardy's hands and lips all over her body... Him inside of her, the heat of his body, and...

"I'm fine," Torrie said as she raised her head to meet the pair of kind green eyes before her. For his benefit, she forced a tiny smile she didn't feel.

Jeff studied her silently, not really believing her words. There was something about the tall blonde... She seemed so sad... lost. He didn't know why that second word had struck him, but instinctively, it seemed to fit her demeanor.

"All right," he finally said. "I was just checkin'. Well, listen, Torrie... If you ever wanna talk or anything, I'm a real good listener." He arched an eyebrow and eyed her steadily.

Despite herself, the blonde smiled - genuinely. It was a sweet gesture that touched her. Jeff Hardy most definitely was an enigma - but it was also crystal-clear that he had a good heart.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Smiling as well, the Hardy sibling rose and returned to the table he'd been staring with his friends.

"What was that all about?" Adam asked in sotto voce.

"I dunno, but she seemed upset."

Amy shook her head with disgust as she glanced the other woman's way.

"That bitch hit on Adam right in front of me the other night!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper.

"She did?" Jeff asked, surprised.

"You bet your daredevil ass she did!"

"Hmm..." The young man shrugged, not exactly sure what to make of that information. But he was sure of one thing - Torrie Wilson was definitely troubled.


	17. Chapter 17

"Here he comes," Adam whispered. He looked up from the table at which they were sitting in catering and released Amy's hand. "Quick - what are we going to pick a fight about?"

Amy didn't have to think about it longer than five seconds.

"How about Torrie?"

The blond man hesitated for a beat, giving her a strange look.

"Okay."

The redhead spoke to him with her eyes as she started in with their ruse.

"Don't hand me that line of bull, Adam Copeland! I saw you with my own two eyes!"

"N-Nothing happened!" he cried.

Amy stood up just then as Matt entered the room from the backstage arena hallway.

"You were flirting with her! She came on to you right in front of me and you _flirted_ with her!" She gestured wildly with both hands, getting her emotion from exactly the way she felt when Torrie had really tried something. She knew Adam would never give another woman the time of day or cheat on her, but she knew how angry she would be if he did.

"You're imagining things, Amy."

"Oh, am I? !" she shouted. "I think I would know the difference between fantasy and reality, Adam!" She was actually amazed that Matt hadn't come over by now, to 'rescue' her. Inwardly, she rolled her eyes and fumed about the thought of that.

"Oh, would you give me a break?" the Canadian snapped. He suddenly got to his feet and reached for her arm, but she pulled away, crossing her arms over her breasts.

"Leave me alone! As far as I'm concerned, you can _have_ her! This is what I get for taking you back!"

"Amy!" he growled.

"Hey! Don't you _get_ it? She doesn't want anything to do with you!" This time, it was Matt Hardy who'd spoken. The dark-haired man came over in an instant to stand beside the redhead, his arm going around her shoulders in a protective - or maybe possessive - manner.

Adam licked his lips as he stared at the other wrestler. His stomach churned at the way he'd swooped in and deemed himself Amy's 'savior.' If he tried anything with her...

He threw those thoughts and fears from his mind. After all, he trusted his girlfriend. And Amy knew how to take care of herself and handle Matt. Still, he didn't like it.

"This is none of your business, Hardy," he said in a surprisingly calm, even voice.

"Sure, and afterward, why don't-"

Trish Stratus abruptly cut off her own sentence. "-Whoops! What's going on here?" She looked from Amy, Matt and Adam to Jeff at her side and then back again. In reality, she knew all about the farce going on since Jeff had told her all about it, as had Amy.

"Not much, Trish," the redheaded diva replied. "Just Adam and me breaking up."

"What? !" The Canadian man reached up with both hands to grasp his head. "You're breaking up with me because you think I flirted with another woman? Amy, for the love of God-"

"I suggest you get out of here," Matt snapped, his dark eyes glittering dangerously, "unless you want me to get physical."

"Hey, c'mon, man," Jeff said. He stepped in between them, both arms outstretched.

Adam glared with very real anger at the elder Hardy, finding it difficult to keep himself in check. He clenched his right hand into a fist, noting the way Amy bit her lip, her eyes casting down. He knew she was not the world's best actress, but she'd done a damn good, convincing job.

Running a hand through his long blond hair, and without another word, he backed off, turned and left the room.

Trish and Jeff watched their friend leave, then exchanged glances before turning to Amy and Matt.

"Are you okay, Ames?" the dark-haired man asked. He eyed her with concern.

She nodded, though she was barely able to keep her eyes on his.

"Yes... I'm... I'm fine, Matt. Thank you." She bit her lip as she glanced over at Jeff and Trish. She hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake in doing this.


	18. Chapter 18

Matt could barely contain himself of the joy he felt. He actually felt giddy after learning of the breakup between Amy and Adam. It was almost too good to be true.

The news was good enough that it called for a celebration. The dark-haired man reached for his cell phone and flipped it open to dial a number. There was really only one person he could think of to call and with whom to celebrate. Well, he would have liked to take Amy out somewhere, but he knew she was hurting and now was not the time.

"Hey," he said when the person on the other end picked up. "I'd like to see you. Meet me down in the lobby in ten minutes?" After a pause, "Great."

Ten minutes later to the dot, Hardy was downstairs in the hotel lobby, his hands in the pockets of his light jacket as he stood in wait. It was semi-late, and he knew many of his fellow wrestlers were either already out or esconced in the rooms for the night.

Moments later, she appeared, looking quite scrumptious, if he did say so himself. She was wearing a pink tank top and snug black pants, a pair of comfortable, worn canvas sneakers on her feet.

"Hi," Torrie said as she neared him. "What is it, Matt? What's going on?" She couldn't help feeling surprised. Ever since she'd agreed to help him, he'd never had much to do with her in public.

To her shock, he swept her into a big hug, actually lifting her off her feet ever so briefly. A short but booming laugh escaped him and he placed her back down, a big grin on his face.

"You're really something, Miss Torrie Wilson," he said. "C'mon, let's get a drink." He gestured toward the nearby hotel lounge, and she stared at him in confusion. What exactly was going on? "Oh, I didn't..."

"Hey, it's no problem. It's on me tonight," he said.

She simply blinked and entered the bar with him. The truth was, she wasn't even sure about how she was going to finish her own sentence.

They sat down at a private booth rather than at the bar itself. It was toward the back of the place, which was just what Matt preferred. Though in truth, it didn't matter at this point if anyone saw the two of them together. After all, what was done was done.

A waitress came by to take their orders and then quickly moved on. Torrie eyed the dark-haired man with concern and confusion and posed the question again.

"What's going on?"

Matt grinned again and folded his hands together on the table. The truth was that all he really wanted to do right now was hug this woman again. After all, had it not been for her, none of it would have been possible.

"Torrie," he began, his southern drawl extra pronounced, "you know something? You're terrific."

The blonde stared at him. The corners of her mouth were starting to feel as though they were being pulled. She couldn't resist a smile when he praised her like that.

"Thank you," she said sheepishly.

"And it's all because of why I called you to meet me," he pressed on. "We did it!"

"Huh?" Now her expression went to being dumbfounded.

"Amy broke up with Adam!" he revealed in a loud whisper.

Torrie's face fell.

"What?"

"Yeah!" he said enthusiastically with a shake of his head. "It's exactly as it should be, Tor - she dumped him! Mission accomplished."

The blonde woman merely gaped at him, her mouth wide open with shock. She could form no words as she absorbed all of this. It was just simply... awful. Sure, she had agreed and gone along with Matt to cause trouble for the couple, but to actually have any involvement with the two breaking up just about made her sick. And what kind of person actually took glee in others' misery? This was terrible. She'd made a horrible mistake.

"Oh, Matt, I-" Just as Torrie had finally found her voice again, she was interrupted.

"Here you are," the waitress said cheerily as she placed their drinks down before them. "A Long Island ice tea for you, and a scotch on the rocks for you." She smiled at them before scurrying off.

Matt hastily snatched up his drink and clinked the glass with hers.

"Cheers!" he exclaimed. He tossed back the liquor, drinking nearly the entire glass in seemingly one big gulp.

Torrie eyed him with horror. How was it possible that he could be so happy over two people ending their relationship, and apparently, due to _their_ ruse? She couldn't comprehend it. Quite frankly, it troubled her.

She pushed her drink aside and spoke.

"Matt, I don't think this is a good idea... I'm going to pass on the drink." She started to stand up and the man stopped her with a gesture of his hand.

"Oh, come on, you can't mean that! C'mon, woman - drink at least a few sips before you leave."

Celebrating was just about the last thing on Torrie's mind. However, the look on his face stopped her, and she sat back down. Wordlessly, she raised her drink to her lips and took a few small sips.


	19. Chapter 19

Amy stepped tentatively out into the hallway, her heart thundering. It was two in the morning, and she was headed for Adam's hotel room.

Since the couple had decided they were going to carry out the facade of having broken up, they had laid down the groundwork - and one of the plans was to book separate hotel rooms. It was the same old ploy they'd used back when they had kept their relationship a secret from everyone but four people.

"Come on, please?"

The redhead's eyes widened at the sound of the voice, and she crept back into the shadows of the corridor. She managed to keep herself pressed against the wall in a corner as light from the room filtered out into the hallway. She recognized the voice and cursed inside her head. She'd know that voice anywhere, and it belonged to the one person from whom she was trying to hide the truth...

... Matt Hardy.

But who was he talking to? She rolled her eyes as she kept to the shadows, figuring he had most likely picked up some chick at a club and had brought her back here. Maybe she'd had a change of heart and refused to sleep with him. And judging by the infection of his voice, she would have bet that was the case.

"No, I... I can't. I'm sorry."

Amy's jaw dropped as she recognized the voice belonging to the responder as well. It was indeed a woman, but definitely not a stranger. What the hell was _she_ doing in Matt's room at this hour of the night?

"C'mon, Torrie," she heart Matt slur. He sounded drunk. "C'mon and give me some of that hot body of yours. You and me... just like that other night."

The redhead raised a hand to cover her mouth. She was in utter shock. Matt and Torrie? They were sleeping together? And then, she grew angry as she realized that their situation was exactly as hers and Adam's had been - because, as far as she could tell, no one even knew about them. She knew Jeff would have told her if he knew.

Then, another realization struck her... What if Matt had set Torrie up to hitting on Adam? The platinum blonde had already done that and tried to cause trouble for them. Was it possible that she'd done that of her own volition? Or had Matt asked her to do it? Amy knew how the darker Hardy brother was, and how badly he mistrusted Adam.

She frowned, growing more angry still as she thought about it. Matt Hardy _was_ the kind of person who would put someone else up to scheming and doing his dirty work for him. A year earlier, she would have doubted that until the cows came home, but now? Well, now she wasn't so sure.

"No, Matt... I really have to go," Torrie was saying. "It's late and I need some sleep. Goodnight."

Amy kept herself concealed as she realized the blonde had stepped out into the hallway. She dared to peek just beyond the confines of the corner to watch the other woman retreat down the hallway to the elevators before slipping out from her hiding place.

Matt was nowhere to be seen. He had given up and closed the door to his hotel room, most likely to crash in his drunken state.

Amy scowled, shaking her head as she continued on to Adam's hotel room. Damn Matt and Torrie Wilson for whatever little foolish scheme they had cooked up, and especially for infringing upon her time with the man she loved. She was certain the blond man was sitting up, wondering what had kept her.

She had a keycard and swiped herself in. Sure enough, her boyfriend was sitting at the desk in the room, in his underwear, looking anxious.

Adam rose in an instant as Amy came over. He pulled her into his embrace, kissing her.

"What happened? Got held up?"

The redhead nodded.

"I have to talk to you."

He gave her an odd look, noting how serious her facial expression appeared. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good. He sighed.

"All right... You might as well let me know now." He took her by the hand and led her to the bed, sitting on its edge and pulling her onto his lap.

The redhead placed her hands in his hair, gently playing with it a bit as she gazed down into his concerned green eyes. She despised those two at that very moment. This time was supposed to be happy, and for them to let it all loose. They were supposed to be having a passion-filled night, but instead, they were going to have a discussion about two people who'd given them nothing but grief.

"Something's up with Matt," she revealed. "He's up to something."

The blond man cocked his head as he gazed into his girlfriend's eyes.

"Is that so?" he muttered.

She nodded.

"Yeah. I just caught him with Torrie coming out of his room," she elaborated. "From the sound of it, they've got something going on."

Adam's brows rose in surprise. This news was not something he'd been expecting to hear.

"I would bet any amount of money that he asked Torrie to fuck with us."

"Oh, really?" The blond man couldn't help but clench his right hand into a fist. This made him so angry. So, Hardy was behind that? There was seriously something wrong with the man. At this point, Adam couldn't care less if Matt no longer wanted to be his friend. But he would be damned if he let the guy make Amy unhappy. No one was getting away with that if he had anything to say about it.

"So, what are we going to do about this?" he finally asked. He fingered her satin robe, toying with its sash to undo it.

Amy allowed the robe to slide down her body so that she only wore her black lace teddy. Her hazel eyes locked with his green. She dipped her head closer.

"Nothing at this very moment," she replied in a husky voice before lowering her lips on his.


	20. Chapter 20

Torrie was still feeling flustered as she made her brisk way back to her hotel room. She raced down the hallway, nearly shaking as she recalled what had just happened.

Matt had gotten pretty drunk. She'd felt badly and helped him up to his room. She hadn't felt she could just leave him the way he was to go back there alone.

Once in the dark-haired man's room, things had really gotten out of control. He'd had to lean on her to walk up there, and Torrie had led him to the bed and tried to set him atop it, but the Hardy had had other ideas. The moment he'd plopped down on the mattress, he'd held onto her and pulled her on top of him.

The blonde had resisted initially, but then she'd actually started to respond and kissed him back. Matt's lips had been demanding, claiming her mouth and tongue, and all the while, his hands roamed over her body.

She reached her hotel room and quickly swiped her keycard through the door. The second it opened, Torrie rushed inside and closed it behind her.

She stood there with her back facing the door, still for a good moment or more as the recent memory still held her in its grip. She closed her eyes as she recalled how she'd felt... She'd actually been enjoying it and gotten swept up in the moment, even when Hardy had slid one hand down to her buttocks, fondling her.

But she'd quickly snapped back to reality and broke free of him. She didn't want it to happen again, at least not in that way. Torrie refused to allow herself to be a notch on anyone's bed post. Unfortunately, since she'd already slept with Matt, that was precisely what she _was_. But she'd be damned if she allowed it to happen again. She wasn't going to be _anyone's_ fuck buddy!

It hurt. It really hurt to acknowledge that he didn't care about her the way she needed him to. The tall blonde finally moved from her spot to come to sit just on the very edge of the bed. It was late, and she was exhausted. So, why was she sitting here instead of getting ready for bed?

Torrie raised both hands up to her face, only then aware of the tears. She was crying, and somehow, she hadn't even realized it.

She meandered into the bathroom, flipping on the light to wash up for bed. Her reflection showed a distraught woman with tears on her face, her mascara running and pooling on her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot and would no doubt become swollen later. In a nutshell, she was a mess.

Torrie herself didn't even understand it. After their one night together, she had tried distancing herself both physically and emotionally. She crept to the bed and realized she probably deserved this for still having gone along with Matt's creepy little plan after everything. What was wrong with her?

As she curled up in a tight fetal position under the blanket, she knew. It was because she'd grown even more fond of Matt Hardy after she'd slept with him. It was stupid and foolish because he'd basically treated her like crap, yet her feelings for him had indeed increased. Again, she wondered what in hell was wrong with her.

Torrie's thoughts suddenly shifted to Jeff Hardy. Matt's younger brother had been so very kind toward her the other day. She knew he was very different from his sibling. He'd seemed so concerned and caring when he'd come over to her table to talk. He'd told her that if she ever needed someone to talk to, he was there. She wondered about that. Maybe she should look for him when daylight came and talk to him. Her state of mind concerned his brother, after all... And who else but Jeff would know Matt better? Maybe the colorful-haired man would even offer her some words of advice as to how to talk with him. Or maybe he could act as a third-party for her and talk to him himself. Or was she just being ridiculous in even considering talking with Matt Hardy? When she really thought about it, she knew getting into a relationship with him would be a mistake. He was already mistreating her and taking her for granted. Why couldn't he be more like she knew his brother to be? Why did life have to be so complicated?

The blonde fell asleep with the situation on her mind. The last image she saw in her head was Jeff Hardy's kind, handsome face and warm green eyes.


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N: Apologies for taking awhile to update this story. It seems I've been getting writer's block with it, but hopefully that won't be for too long. Thanks to MarTW and Straight Edge Queen for reviewing the last chapter! ;)_**

Jeff whistled as he entered catering, his mind fully focused on satisfying his stomach, which had been growling incessantly since he'd arrived at the arena. He turned into the right room and let out an "Ahh!" as the delicious aroma of a mixture of different foods tickled his nostrils. As he made a beeline for one of the tables to get a plate and fork, his line of vision caught sight of the woman sitting off to the side.

Torrie Wilson had her back facing him, her head slightly down as she held a book in her hand. She was of course alone, and she didn't seem to realize or care that she was no longer alone in the room.

Jeff glanced at the array of food laid out for the wrestlers and other crew for the night, then sighed. Ignoring his hunger for the time being, he headed over to the blonde's table and sat down across from her.

"Hey."

She looked up, trying not to flinch and show that he'd startled her. She forced a smile.

"Hi," she said in a soft tone.

"Wow, you really are a bigtime loner, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

Jeff waved a hand to go along with the shaking of his head.

"No, don't take it the wrong way," he said. "I didn't mean it as a bad thing. Actually, you sorta remind me of myself, only I'd have a pen and notebook, writin' poetry."

Torrie stayed silent and merely stared at him. She really didn't know what to say. He was nice, but it was strange how it was easier for her to talk to his brother, as Matt was definitely more standoffish and seemed to only have an interest in talking to her when he _wanted_ something. She had quickly come to realize that. Jeff was quite the opposite and seemed so warm and friendly for no reason at all.

"Ah, well... I guess I'll get some grub and leave you alone now." The colorful-haired man rose from the table.

Torrie nervously twirled a lock of her hair around one finger as she watched him. She felt a twinge inside and sighed, lowering her book.

"Wait..." When he turned back, she continued. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bitch or rude. I don't meant to."

Jeff shook his head.

"I don't think you're a bitch, or rude."

The blonde gave him the tiniest smile.

"I'm just... well, I've got a lot on my mind lately. I appreciate you being so kind to me," she said.

The young man threw some food on his plate, turning back toward the diva. Seconds later, he pointed to his plate, asking her without words if she wanted anything. She smiled but shook her head.

Jeff carried his meal back to Torrie's table, planting himself in the same chair across from her. He picked up a baby carrot and munched on it as he studied the woman's face. Very clearly, just like the last time they'd run into one another, he could tell that something was troubling her.

"Well, I'm all ears," he said, keeping his words soft. "Like I've said before, I'm all yours if you ever need to talk."

The blonde thought it over. She had a lot on her plate and knew it would make her feel loads better if she just got it all off her chest. But Jeff Hardy was Matt's brother... Would she be able to tell him everything without it getting back to Matt? She wasn't sure.

"Well, it's all pretty complicated."

Jeff shrugged as he ate some potatoes he'd thrown onto his plate. He met her gaze squarely.

"Try me," he said. "I've heard my fair share of crazy stories. Hell, some of them were my own."

That comment caused Torrie to let out the first real laughter she'd felt in weeks. She realized she was actually now feeling comfortable in Jeff's presence and decided to talk to him.

"I'll take you up on your offer to talk," she said, lowering and closing her book. "On one condition, though."

He eyed her with anticipation.

"We do it somewhere else."

"Sure," the young man said and nodded. "Wherever you want."

"Thanks," she whispered. "The hotel after the show would be fine."

"Okay. Unless you wanna go out somewhere, like for a bite to eat." He noted again how she had refused food here in catering. She would have to be hungry later on.

"Well, whichever," she said dismissively, then regretted her attitude. "Going out somewhere would be nice, come to think of it."

The rainbow-haired young man smiled. He was glad that Torrie was a pretty nice girl after all, which was what he'd suspected all along. He just wondered why she seemed so secretive all the time.

"It's up to you." He crammed some roast beef into his mouth with much delight.

Torrie smiled, for once grateful. Nobody else had really seemed interested in the goings on in her life as of late, not even Stacy Keibler. But her leggy blonde friend was too focused on her new boyfriend, the boss' son himself, Shane McMahon. Oh well... She could understand and forgive her for that.

Neither one of them noticed Matt lurking just outside the room as he spied on them with narrowed eyes.


	22. Chapter 22

**_A/N: Sorry for such a long gap between updates! Please forgive me for that... Thanks to Straight Edge Queen and MarTW for the last reviews. You guys rock! :) Hope this chapter meets with your approval! ;)_**

"Hey, how's it going?"

Amy looked up at the sound of the voice. Just as she did that, Matt came around to the other side of the small table at which she was sitting. She'd come in here to catering for a quick bite before her segment on the night's show.

"Hey, Matt. It's going fine," she replied, her mind filled with what she'd learned mere nights earlier. She found it difficult, but she managed to keep her features neutral. Still, it was so hard to believe he had schemed all this time, much less actually employed Torrie Wilson to do the dirty work for him.

"That's good," he said. He folded his hands on the table, his gaze lowering for a beat. Then, he raised his eyes to meet hers again. "Don't you think it's time you moved on?"

The redhead cocked her head at that unexpected, albeit nervy, question. She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with him. If she and Adam really had broken up, it would have been only a couple of months since. Where was Matt's sentimentality? Then again, she had to remind herself that she wasn't so sure he possessed any. After all, she could never understand how anyone, male or female, could sleep with another person and not have some tender feelings for them - as apparently was the case for him as far as Torrie was concerned. If her hunch was indeed right, then the redhead actually felt sorry for the tall blonde woman.

"Matt, everyone is different," she said, deciding to play along with his ignorance. "I can't just turn off my feelings like a faucet." Inside, she thought, _Just because you don't have any problems in that department doesn't mean_ I'm _unfeeling like you are_.

"Jeez," the dark-haired man said. He shook his head, a slight smile coming to his face.

Amy eyed him with confusion. He was not seriously getting some pleasure out of thinking she was miserable? She decided to find out.

"What? What's so amusing to you?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Ames," Matt replied. He grew serious as he explained. "It's just that I remember how miserable you were the first time you broke up with that jackass... But you seem absolutely 180 degrees different this time."

The redhead felt her heart skip a beat. Maybe she would have to turn up the waterworks, or at least show him she was hurting. But she wasn't exactly a natural born actress, and she wasn't any good at faking her emotions. What if he caught onto her?

"I guess you realized what a snake he truly is."

She examined Matt's face, and the relief flooded through her. Apparently, he was onto nothing, and it was probably mostly due to his hatred of Adam. She supposed she should feel bad for that, as they had once been such good friends - but at the moment, she couldn't feel anything but grateful.

Pushing all that to the back of her mind, Amy decided to turn the tables on him.

"And what about you, Matt?"

"_What_ about me?" he questioned, giving her a look.

The redhead shrugged.

"I was just wondering what's going on in _your_ life... I mean, since you're telling me to move on... Do you have anyone special right now who you're seeing?" Visions of Torrie flitted through her head as she recalled how the blonde had looked when she'd witnessed her leaving Matt's hotel room not too long ago.

Unfortunately, the dark-haired man sort of took the question the wrong way. A grin spread across his face, and he leaned a bit forward.

"No, Ames, there's no one... Definitely no one special." He studied her silently for a beat.

In spite of what she'd recently learned about the platinum blonde, Amy felt a twinge of sympathy for Torrie. So, Matt could have sex with the woman, yet still say there was 'no one special' in his life? She would hate to be in Torrie's situation... And then, she had to remind herself that she'd been there already - or at least had _thought_ she had. Although she hadn't been particularly fond of the Idaho native lately, she found herself feeling a kinship with her. And if Torrie was anything like herself emotionally, Amy had a feeling the other diva would be needing a good friend soon. And she knew she would be the one for that role. After all, Torrie could very well be enduring the same heartache she herself had gone through when she and Adam had first started sleeping together.

"Ames! Hey!"

She realized with startling clarity that Matt was trying to get her attention. He waved a hand before her face, and she blinked, meeting his dark eyes.

"Sorry... You were saying?"

"I was asking you what you had in mind with that question," he said, a sly, lopsided half-smile taking form on his face. "Are you saying you wanna go out with me?"

"What? No!" The redhead would probably have laughed under different circumstances. She had never once looked at Matt Hardy as anything more than a friend. And, all things considered, lately it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to even think of him in _that_ way. After all, his scheming and obvious pleasure at thinking she and Adam were done was quite hurtful.

He was eyeing her in a strange manner. But then she realized how her response must have sounded.

"I was just curious, that's all. Look, Matt, I gotta go. I'll see you later."

"Yeah," he replied. "Later."

Amy hurried out of catering. For some reason, she felt very strange. The whole conversation with Matt had ended with her feeling incredibly awkward.


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Thanks to Straight Edge Queen and shalom for the last set of reviews! :)**_

_A few days later_

Amy glanced down at the cell phone she held in her hand as she walked, pulling her suitcase with the other. She had just arrived at the arena for the night's show, and she was reading a text message from none other than Adam.

Obviously, since they were faking a breakup, they needed to be super discreet. And so, they'd decided to primarily communicate in this fashion when they weren't together. Phone calls were a little tricky, but this was easier.

Hastily, the redhead punched out a response with her left hand. She barely paid attention to where she was going, however, and ended up colliding with someone. The body into which she'd bumped was very solid, and not only did an exclamation of surprise leave her lips, she also dropped her cell phone.

She looked up to see Matt, and she grew alarmed as he stooped over to retrieve the cellular device.

"Sorry, Ames... but you really oughta watch where you're going," he said with a laugh.

"Matt... I'm _so_ sorry," she said, her heart nearly stopping as his hand connected with her phone. It had fallen with the flip part still open. What if he noticed the text she'd been typing? Would he realize it was about him? And would he figure out to whom she was sending it?

"Here you go," the dark-haired man said.

To her surprise and relief, he actually flipped the device closed before handing it to her. Grateful on more than one count, she accepted it and thanked him.

"So," he said, "what's goin' on?"

The still nervous redhead shrugged.

"Oh, nothing much," she replied with a slight smile. "Just... same old, same old."

He studied her in silence for a moment. Then, cocking his head, he said, "You really should get out more."

"Excuse me?"

"You know... you should get out more now that you're broken up with that ass... Maybe go on a few dates."

Amy stared at him and tried her best not to let his words affect her. But of course, on the inside, they _did_. Matt calling the man she loved an 'ass' really bothered her, and his suggestion that she should date other guys? Even _more_ so. She tried to keep her facial features neutral, and, not knowing what else to say, replied with the first thing that came to mind.

"I'll take that into consideration."

Hardy smiled and nodded at her. He said, "Good. It's healthier that you do that, you know."

She didn't reply this time, just managed to somehow smile at him. After a moment, she let out a held breath and spoke.

"Well, Matt, I really should get to the women's locker room, so..."

"Oh, yeah... Okay, see you later, Amy."

"See you." With that, she moved on past him, her entire body tense until she was a decent distance away from him. Once she reached the locker room, she relaxed a bit and finished her text message, making sure to include her encounter with Matt. Then, she clicked 'Send.'

Amy realized an instant later that Torrie Wilson was one of the divas present. She eyed the blonde's back and wondered if she should approach her. For some reason, she felt as though she _should_.

Mulling it around in her brain a few seconds longer, the redhead made up her mind. As the blonde's back was still facing her, she approached and tapped the other woman lightly on the shoulder.

Torrie turned and showed definite surprise at who had wanted to get her attention. Amy could clearly tell that she was nervous - maybe she even expected a confrontation for flirting with Adam awhile earlier. But the redhead merely offered a warm smile.

"Hey," she said in a soft voice.

"Hi." Torrie stared at her with wonder. She couldn't utter anything more than that in all the shock she felt. What possible reason would Amy have wanted to get her attention, much less speak to her as it seemed she desired to?

"I think we really need to talk."

The platinum blonde hung her head low at those words. She was completely cowed by the mere thought that the other woman wanted to have it out with her. But if that were truly the case, then she would not have smiled, would she? In that case, it had to be something else.

"We do?" she questioned, raising her gaze.

"Yeah," Amy replied evenly. She made a grab for Torrie's arm, her grip loose, not tight or in the least intimidating. "Come on."

Wordlessly, the blonde followed the other woman out of the locker room and into the arena hallway. Once the door shut behind them, Amy glanced both ways, ensuring that no one was in earshot.

"I know why you did what you did a few weeks back."

Torrie felt her blood chill. What was the redhead getting at? Did she know? But how _could_ she? Matt would never have told her.

"I-I'm not sure what you mean," she stuttered in response.

Amy rolled her eyes, but she figured that reaction and line should have been expected.

"Torrie, it's okay... I know about Matt using you to do his dirty work," she whispered.

This time, the blonde's eyes widened.

"You... you know?"

The redhead nodded.

"I do." She grew startled as the sound of footsteps grew more plain to the ear from a ways down the hall. She eyed the taller woman. "Let's continue this later, shall we? My hotel room... I'm in 328 at the Ramada Inn down the road."

Torrie nodded but didn't say a word.


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: Thanks to Straight Edge Queen and caeubona for the last reviews. You guys are awesome! :) Hope you enjoy this new chapter! And sorry for such a long delay in updates.**_

Amy surveyed the hallway, peering out as she poked her head from out the doorway of her hotel room. It was late, and she didn't see a soul around. Apparently, the coast was clear.

Tiptoeing all the way, the redhead stealthily made it to her boyfriend's room. She had a spare keycard he had given her, and she swiped it through the door. She kept her gaze sharp, ensuring there was no one around who might be spying on her.

Much to her dismay, Adam was asleep. He was laying on his stomach in the middle of the hotel bed, looking quite comfortable. It didn't matter that the TV was on, the volume turned way low. She knew he had to obviously be exhausted to appear so deeply in slumber.

Kicking off her slippers, the diva removed her robe and reached for the television remote, turning the set off. Then, as carefully as she could manage, she got into the bed next to him. Setting the remote control aside on the nearby nightstand, she tried her best not to disturb the sleeping man.

However, her efforts weren't careful enough, as Adam suddenly stirred. She heard a soft groan escape him, and he turned over.

"Oh, hey," he murmured, sleepiness clearly in his voice. He wrapped an arm around his girlfriend and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," she softly replied. "I'm so sorry I woke you."

"Nah, it's okay. I wasn't that asleep, anyway... You know me, Ames - I can never really sleep without you laying by my side."

The redhead felt a smile tugging at her lips. She'd never heard something more sweet than what he'd just admitted.

"Really?"

He chuckled.

"I'm afraid so, baby."

She snuggled against him and sought his warm, soft lips. They shared a tender kiss for a moment until she pulled away to gaze into his sleepy green eyes. His long blond hair was all mussed, and she raised a hand to tousle it out of his face.

"Adam, there's something I need to tell you." She bit her lip, hoping he wouldn't be too upset by the news she had.

"Uh oh." He could plainly tell from both her voice and the expression on her face that whatever she was about to spill wasn't going to be anything he would like.

"Don't worry," Amy whispered. "It's nothing horrible... But I thought you should know that I... I told Torrie the truth about us."

Suddenly the blond man was wide awake as he bolted up into a sitting position.

"You what?"

Sheepishly, she repeated herself.

"I told Torrie."

"But why, Ames? Why?" he asked, confusion and alarm both present on his handsome face. "So she can just run straight to Matt and tell him we've been faking a breakup to fool him?"

"No, of course not," Amy said, shaking her head. "Adam, she's not going to say anything to him. I think he's been using her all this time. She's so sad lately, and I felt bad for her."

"What do you mean? And why on earth would you feel bad for her?"

"Because," the redhead began, "I feel a sort of kinship with her. She's been sleeping with Matt, or at least _was_... and all the time, he's just been using her. I think she's in love with him, Adam... but he just _uses_ her." She gazed directly into his eyes, a deep and profound meaning there that he instantly caught.

"Oh," came the Canadian's reply. He knew what his girlfriend meant. She saw definite similarities between Torrie and herself due to the blonde's situation. But it wasn't the same... After all, he had never used Amy, and he'd always had feelings for her. But Matt Hardy? If he was sleeping with Torrie and merely using her for sex as well as to try to break them up, then he was nothing but scum.

"Are you sure she won't say anything?" he questioned.

The redhead nodded.

"I am. I'm actually hoping she gets together with Jeff. They've been getting friendlier lately, and I know he really likes her."

"Yeah, he would be really good for her, I think," he agreed. "But back to us... About the _real_ reason you stopped by."

Amy suddenly found herself grinning. She gaze up at him as he lowered himself to her, her arms winding around his neck as his lips met hers.


End file.
